(Editor’s note: Work was completed ahead of schedule and all lanes opened around 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 9. There will be no closures tomorrow, Thursday, July 10.

Drivers should plan an alternate route

EVERETT – Drivers who use westbound US 2 on the Hewitt Avenue Trestle will need to plan for significant delays next week.

Maintenance crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation will close one of two westbound lanes between State Route 204 and Interstate 5 for pavement patching daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday July 8, through Thursday, July 10.

“It’s no secret the pavement is in bad shape, and we’ve got to act soon to prevent further deterioration of the road,” said WSDOT maintenance superintendent Ron Morton. “Think of this as a band-aid; it’s only temporary and it’ll buy us a little more time until money for resurfacing this stretch of US 2 becomes available.”

Balancing the needs of maintaining the road and keeping traffic moving is a tough act. Morning commuters will dodge most of the delays, because the work is dependent on surface temperatures of at least 70 degrees so the asphalt can properly bond to the road.

However, westbound traffic through this stretch of US 2 remains steady throughout the day. Drivers should plan an alternate route such as SR 9 or expect long delays.

“There are already too many vehicles using US 2 than what it was originally designed for, which is why it’s slow during much of the day,” said WSDOT traffic engineer Maan Sidhu. “With one of two lanes closed, we expect to see longer delays and bigger backups if drivers don’t adjust their plans.”